The three eleven year olds all gasped when they saw Hogwarts in all of its glory. Of course, they had seen pictures of Hogwarts and heard stories, but you never really knew its beauty until you saw it up close in personal.

Albus smiled when he saw Hagrid standing on the platform awaiting the students. He had heard stories of Hagrid as well, from his father and James, but had never met the tall burly man in real life. He wondered how Hagrid would react to another Potter boy, just one year after the first one he oversaw to Hogwarts.

The three collected their things and exited their compartment, slowly making their way off the train. Albus tried to keep his head down and avoid running into other people, claustrophobia wasn't something he took pride in. It just happened.

Scorpius and Rose followed close behind him, and together the three jumped off the train, scurrying over to where the other first years had gathered under Hagrid's order.

"Firs' years this 'ay! Firs' years o'er 'ere!" Hagrid called and Albus quickened his pace. He couldn't wait to meet Hagrid.

"Hello!" Albus chirped upon stopping in front of the half-giant.

Hagrid gave him a once-over and smiled, large tears brewing in his eyes. "Merlin, that 'Arry's gone and had another child! I'd recognize those eyes anywhere! Who migh' you be, sir?"

Albus stuck out his hand and giggled when Hagrid encompassed it with his rather large hand. "I'm Albus, sir. James has told me all sorts of stories about you!"

Hagrid shook his head, a tears the size of a bite Albus would take out of a sandwich rolling down his cheek. "Ole James always be tellin' stories ter people."

Scorpius and Rose finally caught up to Albus, and Hagrid looked them over as well.

"Well, well," Hagrid said, "a Malfoy me a Weasley gettin' along! 'As the worl' stopped turnin' yet?" The large man offered a smirk to the two children.

Albus looked over at his friends. Scorpius had dawned his scowl, and Rose was smiling brightly. She obviously remembered the stories James and Fred had told them when they got home for the summer. Scorpius, however, had not heard any stories. Or maybe he had, Albus thought, he didn't quite know what Scorpius heard stories about from his father, or if he heard any at all. The thought made Albus scowl as well, and Hagrid chuckled.

"Yer don' hafta introduce yourselves. I read 'bout yer in the paper. You three belong to some o' the mos' talked 'bout families in the wizard worl'," Hagrid said, making Albus and Rose laugh loudly. Scorpius just offered a miniscule.

"Well, if this is everybody, I think we ought ter be goin' to the boats, don' yer think?"

The first years followed Hagrid out to the lake, where sets of boats were lying on the water's edge. The boats could fit three people, so Albus, Scorpius and Rose occupied their own boat. The Black Lake's water was chilly when Albus dipped a finger into it, and he turned back around to face his friends.

"Be careful of the Black Lake, Potter," Scorpius said teasingly, a playful smirk on his face, "there's a large squid in there. It's favorite snack is young and gullible kids."

Albus looked to Rose, his face horrified. Scorpius laughed evilly and Rose simply shook her head.

"Is he lying, Rosie?"

"Only a little bit," Rose responded, "there is a squid in the Lake, but it doesn't eat people, or children for that matter. Remember what Uncle Dennis told us? During his first year here, he fell into the Lake and the squid rescued him!"

Albus' brain switched on, and he remembered the story Dennis Creevey, whom they called their uncle and sometimes visited them over the holidays and during family events, told about his first year at Hogwarts. Dennis had had many embarrassing stories of himself over the years, and so he shared them with the kids, who loved hearing about his obvious and sometimes terrifying misfortunes.

"Well I highly doubt a beast like that would rescue a child," Scorpius sneered, "but you can choose to believe it or not."

Albus, who wasn't sure whether Scorpius was still joking or not, decided not to respond to this statement. Instead, he looked back across the Lake.

Hogwarts was a truly marvelous school. It was grand and large, it's style a nice Victorian, the many castles all going together. The beige stones and bricks that made up the structure sat, beautifully simple, against the elegant night sky. And the sky was beautiful. Albus couldn't help but notice that the sky was already a dark navy color, the stars bright and white against the sky, contrasting heavily and wonderfully.

"We're almos' 'ere!" Albus heard Hagrid's yell across the Lake, exemplified by his magic pink umbrella.

"I'm a little nervous," Rose whispered, a blush already settling onto her cheeks as she looked to Scorpius, who she thought for sure was going to insult her for it. Instead Scorpius gulped, and Albus shook his head in surprise.

"I am as well, actually," Scorpius said a quietly, his head tilted downwards. Albus raised an eyebrow. Scorpius continued, "if you tell anyone this, I'll deny it in a heartbeat, but I'm afraid of being Sorted."

Albus sighed heavily, relating to Scorpius' problem. "Me too. I'm worried that I don't belong in any of the houses. I'm afraid that I won't fit in here."

Considering that it was the first time hearing the information, Rose took the revelation quite well. "I'm quite surprised that's what you're both worrying yourselves over. I never thought either of you'd be the type to shy away from the chance to find out who you are, and I've only just met you, Scorpius."

"It's not in one's best interest to always hope for the best," was Scorpius' muttered reply.

Rose chuckled and shook her head, but Albus beat her with his words. "Even still, Rosie. Who knows which house any of us will be Sorted into? I could be put in bloody Slytherin for all I know."

Scorpius coughed. "Careful there, that's my family's house."

"And you think you won't be Sorted into it?" Rose asked, shimmering with curiosity. Albus couldn't help but feel the same, he had just met Scorpius and was already dying to know more. The boy just reeked with mystery.

"I know I won't," Scorpius said, "the only question is which one I'll be placed in instead."

Rose shook her head, eyes shining with sympathy. "I'm in a similar boat actually. I know for a fact that I won't be in Gryffindor, but I've no idea where I'd be Sorted to replace that."

"Gryffindor and Slytherin don't seem to be the houses that fit any of us," Albus added to the discussion, his words sounding like an afterthought following all of the confessions, but not forgotten in the midst of conversation. "We'll just have to wait and see."

The other two children nodded their agreements. And so they waited.